Unplanned Future
by ScottishBraveheart
Summary: A level student Edward, is awaiting the results of his final exams so he can get started on his future, but what happens when his ex turns up and dumps a baby on him, saying she has had enough and now it is his turn to become a single teen parent!
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer- I really don't own these :( as you can tell I'm no where near as talented as the Mrs Meyers! Hell I don't own the computer that i am writing this on... it's my brothers.**_

_**enjoy? **_

_**Edwards Point Of View**_

_**Good Luck today. Hope you get what you want. :)**_

I smiled, phone in hand, grinning at the text my girl Vicky had sent me. The grin didn't last long though. I was to wound up. Wednesday. Exam results day! I must admit, I didn't expect to be quite so nervous today. I totally knew that I had done well. What I mean is, I almost knew for certain, but that almost killed me. Between having to hand my exam papers in and having them marked, there was a world of possibilities, that all decide my future. The person marking them could've had a bad day which resulted in a really bad mood which they would then take out on my exam papers. Hell sonic the hedgehog could have changed all my answers. Joke.

"_Don't be an idiot_" I told myself. It was simple. I had to pass. There was no other choice. Four good A level grades, that was what I needed. Then it was of to university. Up, up and away from this place and a year earlier than all my friends. _You've passed... Positive thinking_. I tried to dredge up the confidence from somewhere deep inside. Then I felt even more like an idiot and stopped trying. But like Carlise, my dad, constantly said "_temptation leans on the doorbell, however opportunity knocks once and once only_". And I knew all to well that my A levels were my best opportunity to not just hit the ground but to take off and fly. Carlise was full to the brim of fortune cookie quotes like that.

University was just a means to an end. I mean, yes, I was looking forward to the whole meeting new people, learning new things, being somewhere different and totally independent. But I was looking beyond that points. Once I had a fairly decent job, things would be different- or they would when I have successfully paid of my student loan. But the highlighting point was that my family wouldn't have to dig in there pockets for money.

Three impatient strides took me to the bay window. Pushing aside the grimy-grey doily effect net curtains, I stared up and down my street. The August morning was already bright and sunny. Maybe that was karma- if anyone believed in it that was._Out loud, I didn't_.  
Where the hell was the postman? Didn't he know that in his satchel he literally held my whole future? Funny how one sheet of paper, a piece of tree, had the ability to change the rest of my life.  
_I need to pass my exams... I REALLY need to pass...  
_The words played through my mind like a recurring phrase from a really irritating song. I'd never ever wanted something so badly in my life! maybe because my A levels exam results _were_my life. My whole future rested on a slip of paper and a few letters at the beginning of the alphabet- preferably letters from the beginning!

I let the net curtain fall back into place, wiping my dusty hands on my jeans. What was it about the dust on grubby curtains that made them seem almost sticky? I eyed the curtains, when had they last been cleaned? When was the first time they were cleaned? They'd been hanging there since I had helped my mum put them up. What was that? Like nine years ago, or close?

The doorbell rang- as if on a cue. I was at the door before the chime of the bell could end, throwing it open with eager trepidation.

It wasn't the postman.

It was Tanya.  
I stared at her in shock. It took a couple of seconds to register the fact that Tanya wasn't alone. I stared down at the contents of the buggy beside her, on my doorstep.

"Hello, Edward."

I didn't say a single word. The baby in the buggy was the thing that held all my attention.

"C-can I come in?

"Er... yeah? Of course" I stepped aside. Tanya wheeled the buggy past me into the house. I closed the door behind her, frowning and confused. She stood in the doorway biting the corner of her lip. She watched me expectantly, like an actress waiting for her director to announce her cue. But she knew where the sitting room was, shed been here before.

"Go through" I indicated towards the open door.

Following her, my thoughts flitted like dancing ballerinas. What the hell was she doing here? I hadn't seen her in... it was well over a year at the least. What the hell did she want?

"Are you babysitting?" I pointed to the bundle snuggled in the buggy.

"Yeah, you could say that" Tanya said, looking at all the many family photos we had scattered around the room. Some of me, more of my brother Jasper, most however was off my mum. But there was none of her from the last year of her life. I remember that dad had wanted to take some - he had appointed himself family 'photographer'- but mum wouldn't let him. And after she died, dad had yet to pick up his camera again.

Tanya's eyes flitted from photograph to photograph, studying each one intently before her eyes moved on to the next. To be honest, I didn't see the appealing feeling that Tanya must have with them.

Whilst Tanya was looking at the photos, I used the opportunity to eye her. She looked the same as our last encounter, maybe a tiny bit slimmer but that was all. She was dressed black jeans and a dark blue jacket over a light blue t-shirt. Her light blond hair was shorter than the last time, shorter and much more... spikier. But she was still the stunner she was before, with the biggest blue eyes I'd ever seen framed by the longest eye-lashes. I glanced down at the bundle in the buggy which was staring up in fascination at the light-fitting in the middle of the ceiling.

"What's it's name?"

"_Her _name is Mallie." Pause. "D'you want to hold her?"

"_No, _I mean er... no thank you." The words were out of my mouth in a jumbled panicked mess. Was Tanya barking mad or what? No way on earth did I want to hold a baby and plus she still hadn't said what she was doing here,. Not that I wasn't pleased to see her again. It'd just had been a long time, that was all. Tanya had dropped out of school over a year and a half ago and I hadn't heard or seen of her since. As far as I knew, no one in this town had.  
And now she was in my house.

As if she was reading my mind, Tanya said "I went away to live with my auntie. I'm back for the day visiting a friend, and as I was just passing by, I thought I'd come and visit you. I'm going away today actually"

"Back to your aunt's" I assumed.

"No. Up north. I'm staying with friends for a while."

"That's nice"

Silence.

"Can I get you something? A drink?" I said after the awkward pause.

"Er... some water? Some water would be good."

I headed for the kitchen and filled up a glass from the tap. "There you are." I handed it to her once I got back in the room.

The glass shook slightly in her hands, while she was guiding it to her lips. Tanya took three or four small sips then put it down on the coffee table. She then retrieved a box from her jacket pocket and took out a cigarette, pushing it between her thin lips. "D'you mind if I smoke?" she asked, the flame from her lighter already nearing the end of the cigarette.

"Er.. I don't, but my dad and Jasper will. Especially Jasper. He's an anti-cigarette fascist and they'll be back real soon."

"How soon?" Tanya asked sharply.

"Half an hour or so" I shrugged. Why the urgent tone to her voice? For a second there she almost looked... sickly panicky.

"Oh, OK. Well, the smell will be gone by then

." Tanya said, lighting up anyway.

Damn it. To the you the truth, I wasn't keen on cigarettes either. Tanya drew on the 'cancer stick' like she was trying to suck all the nicotine in it down her throat. She closed her eyes, briefly, then a rush of swirling grey vapour shot out through her nostrils. Minging. The smell was already circling the room. I sighed inwardly. Jasper was going to do his left nut. Tanya opened her eyes to look at me, but she didn't say a sound. She inhaled from the cigarette again like it was her life line and her only source of air giving to her.

"I didn't know you smokes" I said.

"I started almost a year ago. It's one of the few pleasures that I have left." Said Tanya.

We regarded each other. The silence stretched between us like a taut elastic. Oh God. What was I supposed to say now?

"So... How are you? What've you been up to?" It wasn't much but it was all I could think off.

"I've been looking after Mallie." Tanya replied.

"I mean, apart from that?" I persisted a little more. A slight smile curved up on one corner of Tanya's mouth. She shrugged but didn't reply. She turned her head to carry on looking around the room.

Silence

The baby made some sort of gurgling sound. Some noise to break the scratchy quiet. Thank fuck for that.

"What about you?" Tanya asked, removing the baby from the buggy and holding it on the left side of her body as the cigarette moved to the right side of her lips. " What've you been up to?" Her eyes weren't on me though. She was looking in to the face of that thing in her arms. The thing gurgled louder, trying to wriggle closer to her. "What are your plans now you have done your A levels, Edward?"

For the first time since she had arrived, she looked directly at me and didn't immediantly difuse or turn away from our meeting stares. And the look in her eyes were startling. Her face hadn't changed that much since the last time I'd seen her, but her eyes had. They seemed...older somehow. Sadder. I shook my head. There went my imagination, running off in all directions again. Tanya had aged exactly by the same amount of time that I had.

"I'm waiting for my exam results." I said "They're supposed to arrive today."

"How do you think you have done?"

Crossing my fingers, I held them up. "I worked my ass off, but If you tell anyone... I'll hunt you down!"

"God forbid that anyone should find out you actually... revised. Don't worry, your secret is safe with me." smiled Tanya.

"If I have passed, I'm off to uni to do history."

"And after that?"

"Journalism. I want to be a reporter. I want to write about stuff that everyone actually wants to read."

"You want to work for one of those gossip magazines?" Tanya queried.

"Hell no! Not a celebrity reporter. How boring would that be, interviewing talentless airheads who are famous for doing crap all? No, thank you," I said, warming to my theme. "I want to cover proper news. War and politics... stuff like that."

"Ah, sounds more like the Edward I know." Said Tanya." Why?"

The question took me by surprise. "Pardon?"

"Why does reporting on the kind of stuff appeal to you so much?"

I shrugged "I like the truth, I guess. Someone needs to make sure the the truths gets told."

"And that someone is you?"

How pompous must I have sounded? Embarrassed, I smiled "Didn't you know? Edward Masen is only my earth name. On my planet, I'm known as Ed-world, fighting for truth, justice and free computer games for all."

Tanya just shook her head, her lips twitching. "I'm beginning to remember why I used to like you so much."

Used to? "Past tense?"

She glanced down at the baby in her arms. "I've had other things on my mind since we broke up, Edward"

"Like."

"Like Mallie for one."

"Whose kid is she? Cousin?"

Just at that moment , the baby started to grizzle. Hell! It sounded like the thing was winding up for a long, loud cry.

"Her nappy needs changing," said Tanya. "Hold her for a second. I need to get rid of my fag."

Tanya thrust-ed the baby at me and was already turning so I had no choice but to take it. She headed out of the room and made her way to the kitchen. Getting rid of the cigarette was no academic. The whole room stunk. I held the baby at arm's length, pulling back my head like a turtle to put at least a foot between myself and the thing. There was the sound of running water from the tap, the the bang of the bin lid snapping shut. My hearing was switched up to the max as I waited for the second, I could pass this thing in my hands back.

Tanya re-entered the room. With a practised hand, she opened up the out sized green bag hanging on the frame of the buggy and removed a pale orange plastic baby mat decorated with multi-coloured hearts. She lay it down on the floor, smoothing out the wrinkles. Next came disposable nappy, a small blue plastic bag and some baby wipes. With a rueful smile, Tanya took the baby from my unresisting hands. My sigh of relief was unintentionally audible. But Damn! I didn't want t do that again anytime soon. I watched as Tanya knelt down on the carpet to lay the baby on the changing mat. Whilst I opened the windows, she started talking a heap load of crap.

Words like: "I'm going to change you now. Oh yes I am!"

And it was getting worse. Stricken, I watched as Tanya undid the yellow all-in-one baby grow, and gently extracting the baby's legs from the outfit. She wasn't seriously going to change the baby hear, was she? Oh yes she was! Gross! I wanted to stop her but what could I say? I watched in shock as Tanya unfastened the nappy.

URGH!

It was filled with overflowing poo. Stick, nasty, uber smelly baby crap. I was amazed I managed to hold down my breakfast. But I did back up and backed off double fast. I couldn't have moved faster if the nappy had suddenly grown legs and started playing tag with me around the room.

"You should watch this," Tanya said. "You might learn something."

Yeah, right!

"It's quite straightforward," She continued. "You life up her legs slightly by her ankles till her booty is of the nappy, then wipe her off until she is all nice and clean." Tanya dropped the wipes into the soiled nappy. "Then you whip out the old nappy and place nice clean one under her. After that you just fasten it like this, making sure it's not to tight and not to loose. See? It's so simple even you could do it."

"Why would I want to?" I asked. I mean duh!

After placing the dirty nappy in the orange bag and tying a knot in it at the top, Tanya refastened the baby-grow before holding Mallie to her and rocking it gently. The baby's impossibly long eyelashes fluttered again its cheeks as it eyes closed. Tanya handed me the nappy bag. I recoiled in horror.

"Could you put it in your bin, please?" She smiled.

"Er... the kitchen is in the same place. Help yourself."

"Can you hold Mallie then?"

Oh god. Poo or a baby? A Baby or a poo?

I took the nappy bag out of Tanya's hand, holding it at arms length like it was a ticking bomb. I started carrying it gingerly but decided that the speed would be better. Much better. So, I sprinted to the kitchen dropped it in the pedal bin, then scrubbed my hands in the sink. I headed back to the sitting room, Tanya's laughter ringing in my ears. Tanya looked at me and smiled, her eyes crinkling with amusement. I didn't quite see what was so funny, but Tanya's toothy smile brought back a rush of memories. Memories of things I hadn't exactly forgotten but ones I buried deep in my head. I sat down, more puzzled than ever. What was Tanya doing here? Just passing by didn't quite ring the truth to me.

"Tanya, why...?"

"Shush. Shes falling asleep," Tanya whispered. She placed the baby in its buggy, she was so gentle that thing didn't even stir once. Tanya straightened up, biting on the side of her lip. I remained seated. Abruptly, as if deciding something at the spur of the moment, she dug into her over sized baby bag and withdrew a folded sheet of beige paper.

"Read this," She said thrusting the paper at me.

I hesitated. "What is it?"

"Read it."

Frowning, I took it from her and unfolded it. It was a birth certificate of Mallies. The mothers place filled with Tanya and the fathers... blank.

I stared at her. "You.. youre the babys mother?"

Tanya nodded slowly. "Edward, I ... I don't know how to say this without..well, without just saying it."

She didnt have to say anything. The Birth paper explained so mush and said so little. Tanya had a kid. She was a mum. I had trouble taking it in. Tanya was my age. And she had a baby?

"Edward, I need to tell you something.."

Tanya wasn't even eighteen yet. How could she have been stupid enough to have a kid at our age? Hadn't see ever heard of the pill? Kids were for people in their late thirties who had a mortgages and steady jobs and serious savings in the back. Kids were for those sad people who didn't have anything else to do with their lives.

"Edward, are you listening?"

"Huh?" I was still trying to wrap my head around the fact that Tanya was a mum.

Tanya took a deep breath, closely followed by another. "Edward, you are the dad. Mallie is our Daughter"

**AN.**

**Hey?**

**How was it? you can tell me lol. So should I carry on ?**

**I was thinking of maybe for any one who reviews( you don't have to but it would be nice) that I could send you a Jasper's POV. I kinda have an idea of his story... like a side one for this one. It will explain things more maybe.. but WILL be much SHORTER.**

**Tell me what you think and thanks for reading:)**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Very Short Update. SORRY! I have the cold, even though it is no excuse... that is my reason lol.**

**Anyway thanks to my reviewers, fave and alerts! They all mean so much and I now understand when writers say reviews make them update quicker ;)**

**Reviewer thanks-**

**Lazylob - thank you very much :)**

**twifanficfreak - Thank you and I am glad you are looking forward to more :) **

** Rpatz-Wifey ****- your review made me giggle ! and yes you were reviewer number 3 yahooo! and I was planing on sending you a teaser as you asked but I cant send it via fanfiction mail as you have your account sent to not allowing pm's :|**  


**samicullen1018 - Thankyou :) **

**As I already said this is a very short chapter, but I wanted to update fast and I really could only manage a few paragraphs to complete this chapter :| My next update is more likely to be Friday or Saturday afternoonish - UKTIME-**

**Disclaimer- Yeah Yeah rub it in... I dont own this whole shabang! **

Tanya's words hit me like a bullet right between my eyes. I stared, searching her expression for a sign, any sign that this was a joke. A sick joke. But her expression never changed. I leaped out of the chair ready to fling her words back at her, only my legs started to dissolve so I just ended up collapsing back down. My gaze never left Tanya's face. I remained silent. Couldn't speak. Couldn't think, certainly not over the sound f my heart pounding like a heavyweight boxers blows.

I sat waiting, willing, wishing for Tanya to take back her words.

Ha, not really.  
Just kidding.  
April Fool.  
Had you going though.

But she didn't say anything.  
It wasnt true.  
How could it be true?

My stomach was heaving. Dry heaving. My body started to shake, starting deep inside and working outwards like ripples on the surface of a came area of water. My heart wasn't the only thing that was pounding. My head was beginning to hurt. I started to remember things I didn't wish to remember.

_The night of my friend Mike's party. The day after Boxing Day, almost two years ago now. Nineteen, no, twenty months ago to be exact. Mike's parents wer away on holiday, leaving Mike and his older sisters home alone while away. Except May, Mike's sister, had decided to spend a few days with her boyfriend, leaving Mike all alone, to party. I'd drunk far to much that night. But then so had Tanya. So had everyone.  
I remember that night like viewing a serious of snapshots and as the night got later the snapshots got even blurrier. Tanya and I had only been going out a couple of months and I'd had a great Christmas. I'd got the guitar I'd been pestering Carlise about, even though I knew we couldn't really afford it. Tanya had bought me a watch while I got her a sliver bracelet. On the way there I had warned her, that the bracelet would more than likely turn her wrist green.  
_

_"That's ok" she smiled. We both laughed and started exchanging kisses, which by the time we got to Mike's house had grown into one long, long, long kiss, before Mike flung open his front door and dragged us inside._

_We danced  
and drank  
and snogged  
We danced some more  
We drank some more  
We snogged some more._

_Someone called out that we should get a room. So a few minutes later, for a laugh, we snuck off and did just what we had been told. I remember Tanya giggling as we went up the stairs. We were holding hands, I think, but I am not all that sure and I had a bottle in my other hand. Something alcoholic but I cant remember what. We went into the first room we came to and shut the door. I took a swig of my drink and Tanya giggled. We started kissing._

_More snapshots.  
It had been the first time- for both of us.  
The one and only time for us._

_I the whole time... well, it was over before it had really even started. It had been one of them blink and you'd miss it sprint not a practised and polished marathon. To tell the truth it'd kind of put me off. I remember thinking -'is this it then? All there is to it?' _

So how could one encounter the lasted... No that was the wrong word. And certainly not in the shape of a... of a ...

"Oh my God..." My gaze fell away from Tanya to the still-sleeping contents of the buggy.

A Baby.  
A Child.  
My child?

"I don't believe you" I was on my feet again. " My name's not even on the birth certificate. How can you be sure it's even mine?"

**Hope you liked it!**


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER- IT PAINS ME TO SAY THIS THAT I DO NOT OWN THESE CHARACTERS... BUT MALLIE IS ALL MINE!**

**IMPORTANT AN AT THE BOTTOM-READ?**

Tanya's lips tightened; her blue eyes turned a shade darker. He expression hardened like she'd been turned to stone.

"I dont sleep around, Edward. Plus i've never been with anyone but you," she stated icicly."And if you say that again, I will slap your face Edward. For your information, I couldn't put your name down on the birth certificate because you were not there when I went to register Mallie, I was told I could only put your name down as the dad if we were married or if you were present at the time." She glared at me, I stared at her, finding it harder and harder to breathe. Then Tanya sighed. "Look, I... I didnt come here to argue with you. Tha wasnt my intention."

"Then why did you come?"

Tanya fished in her pockets for her ciggarettes. She took one out and it was almost at her lips when she unexpectedly snapped it in to halves. Tobacco drizzled onto the carpet. Tanya dropped the two ends into the her jacket pocket before running a shaky hand through her hair.  
"Edward, I need to talk to you but I am running out of time."

"I don't understand" I didnt understand a lot of things. Tanya had turned up at my housr and thrown a bomb into my whole life. A bomb that was sleeping peacefully in its buggy. "How... how come you didnt have an abortion?"

Tanya regarded me, then shrugged. A shrug which was meant to mean very little but, combined with her sombre expression, showed just the opposite. "Edward, I did think about it. I thought of nothing else for days and weeks. I even went to my doctor so he could send me to the local hospital to have it donw. But in the end I didn't."

"Why not?"

"Because from the time I found out I was pregnant, Mallie never felt anthing less than real to me. So how could I go through with it? I just couldnt do it."

"Did you.. did you think about giving her up fo adoption when she was born?"

Tanya studied me, her face a mask. "You blame me," she said quietly.

"No. No, I dont. I just... Im tryin to wrap my head around all this." Trying and failing.

"I took one look at Mallie and I couldnt do that either. My aunt did her best to persuade me to give her up but I just couldnt. My mother had already chucked me out for getting pregnant and my aunt only agreed to let me saty because I said id have the baby adopted once it was born." Tanyas eyes shimmered with unshed tears. "But the time I looked at Mallie, she felt like the only thing I had left in the whole world. If I lost her, Id have nothing..."

"Your mum kicked you out?" I didnt know what else to say, how to react to that. How could ten forgettable minutes of not much turn both our lived inside out and upside down like this? "Why didnt you let me know?"

The faintest of smiles appeared. "What would you have done,Edward?"

"I...I...I have no idea, but to go through all that alone..."

"Edward, you had trouble holding a bag containing a poopy nappy. You held Mallie like she was a ticking bomb. So what is it that you think you could've done?"

The blank look I gave her answered the question enough for her, I guess.

"Wxactly," said Tanya. "That's why I didnt even give your name to the child support people when they asked who the father was."

"But your aunt let you stay after the baby was born?"

"Yeah. Only temporarily though," said Tanya. "But I have found somewhere else to live now."

"Is that why you and your baby are heading north? Because of your aunt?" I asked.

Tanya nodded. She glanced down at her watch. "Edward, could you do me a favour?"

"What?"

"Could you look after Mallie for a while? I need to pop to the shops and buy more nappies and some other stuff?"

Hell no! "Why cant you take it with you?"

"Stop calling her 'it'. And Mallie doesnt like to be moved so soon after falling asleep. Shell wake up and cry."

How exactly was that my problem? Except the baby was supposed to be...my...my.. mine. I started to turn to look at it, but I couldnt. If I didnt look, didnt... acknowledge it, then it wouldntbe real. None of this would be real. How I wished there was someone standing in front of me to tell me what to think and how to feel. Because to be honest, I didnt have a clue. All I felt was... scared. Scratch that - terrified. Heart-thumping, cold-sweating, sick-to-my stomach, mind - numningly terrified. What did Tanya want from me? I stared to shake my head.

"Please, Edward," Tanya wheedled, "I'll be back long before Mallie wakes up, I promise. She will sleep for a good couple of hourse now."

"Tanya, if she wakes up, I wouldnt have a clue what to do." And god knows, that was the truth.

"You wont have to do anything. I will be back in fifteen minutes or less, OK?" Tanya was already heading out the sitting room and heading for the front door.

"You cant just dump her on me," I protested.

"At least you are calling Mallie, 'her' now rather than 'it'."

"Tanya, I am serious," I said. "No way are you leaving a baby here."

"Oh, get over yourself Edward. I am coming back arnt I?"

"YOu cant leave your baby here," I insisted my tone broken-glass sharp with panic. "I was going out."

"Yeah, but not immediantly. You said you were waiting fro your exam results. I will be back soon." Tanys was at the now-open front door. " And she is not just 'my' baby. She is yours too. Remember that."

"Tanya, hang on this isnt right. You cant just-" but she was already heading along the pavement.

"See you in a couple of minutes, Edward."

"Why dont I shop for the things you need and you can look after the baby?" I called after her. She turned arounf but didnt come any close. Her gaze kept skidding away from mine. If I didnt know any better, I would have thought she was only a breath away from tears.

"Edward, what brand of nappies do I buy. What kind of food does Mallie like? What do I put on her skin each night after her bath? What cream do I use when she has a bum rash? What book do I read to her every evening before she goes to sleep?"

"Well you are not going to get all that now, are you?" I pointed out. "Just tell me what to buy and I well go and get it for you."

"Edward, what is your problem? Are you worried she is going to jump out on you and bite your ankles or something? I will be back soon and then we can sit down and have a proper talk, OK."

No, it was not OK and I didnt want to talk or anything else with Tanya. I wanted, needed her to go away with her baby and never come back. If only I could just go backto bed and erase my morning, wake up and start all over again. With increasing frustration, I watched as Tanya carried on walking. With each step she took away from me, the knot inside my stomach grew tighter. I went back indoors. I wanted to slam the front door and keep on slamming it until the stupid thing fell of its hinges, but I couldnt handle the baby waking up before Tanya came back.

I had a kid. Called Mallie. My daughter...  
Oh God...  
What was I going to do?  
Carlise...  
What was Carlise going to sya?  
And my brother?  
And my friends?  
OH God...

The doorbell rang. Tanya. She had come back. Thank goodness, but that was quick... Oh...I got it now. She was going to tell me it was all a joke. Probally set it by one of my mate. Emmett more than likey. This was just the kind of stunt he would pull. If this was his idea of a wind-up then when I got hold of him, it would be on! I wrenched open the front door.

"Morning, package for your father that needs signed for and a few letters," said the postman cheerily. In a daze, I scribbled across the electronic signature box with the inkless pen the postman held out. He handed me an A4-sized letter and an assortment of envelopes. The top letter was addressed to me. I raised my head to thank the postman but he was already on his way to the next house.

Shutting the front door, I half fell, half leaned against it. I didnt want to move from the spot and I certainly didnt want to go and sit in the living room. To tell the truth I was petrified to go back in there and if I stayed still, closed my eyes and waited, then maybe, just maybe, none of this would be real. I placed Carlise's padded letter and what looked like to utility bills on the telephone table. On autopilot, I tore open the envelope addressed to me. It was my much awaited exam results, I peered down at the piece of white paper in my shaky hands.

Four A-stars.

In the sitting room, the baby started to cry.

**AN- THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO MY REVIEWERS, IT REALLY DOES MAKE ME WANT TO WRITE MORE. I WILL REPLY INDIVUALLY TO ALL MY REVIEWERS BUT MAYBE NOT STRAIGHT AWAY. IF YOU WOULD LIKE A 'TEASER' THAN PLEASE SAY IN YOUR REVIEW AND I WILL SEND ONE OUT TO YOU.**

**I AM UNSURE WHEN MY NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE MAYBE TOMORROW OR SUNDAY.**

**A FEW OF YOU HAVE ASKED IF BELLA WILL BE IN THIS STORY. RIGHT NOW I AM UNSURE AS I WANT TO MAKE IT BELIEVABLE AND ALL THE OTHER TEEN DADS STORY BELLA IS EDWARDS GF AND STICKS BY HIM WHICH WOULD BE HIGHLY UNLIKEY IN REALITY (NOT MEANING TO OFFEND ANYONE.. STORIES ARE GREAT!) SO ITS UP TO YOU. TELL ME IN YOUR REVIEW IF YOU WOULD LIKE BELLA IN THIS STORY OR NOT? AS EDWARDS GF OR JUST A FRIEND, MAYBE AN ENEMY.:)**

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	4. Chapter 4

**AN- Sorry for being so long in updating, I am currently got 3 nabs to revise for lol. So this chapter is a chance I am taking as I am unsure if you guys will be happy with the Bella I have done in this chapter. Tell me what you think? **

**So some of you said that you would like to see Bella in this story as a GF. Well I thought and yes I am still unsure. I have to admit for this chapter on Edwards feelings I consulted my brother who is a teenage dad and he gave me his thoughts and that. Not many single dad, teen, get GF that are serious and as I said from the start I would like this to be believeable. However my brother is still with the mother of my nephew :) **

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**SO once again give me your thoughts :) **

I sat in the armchair opposite the buggy and watched the baby's scrunched-up face, tears flowing like rivulets from its eyes and down its cheeks. It watched me just as I watched it. It struck me that at that moment, the baby and I were feeling exactly the same and I mean _exactly _the same. The baby cried and cried and then cried some more. It was lucky. God knows I wanted to join in but I couldn't. Boys don't cry- that's what Carlise had always told me and my brother and besides, what good would it have done?

Two minutes turned into five turned into ten, and if anything it was getting louder/ My head was about to explode. I couldn't stay in the same room any longer, I just couldn't. Jumping to my feet, I left the room, closing the door firmly behind me. Heading for the kitchen, I poured myself a glass of apple juice and downed it in one, counting moments till the doorbell rang. Where the hell was Tanya? Fifteen minutes had come and gone and practically doubled in size. The noise in the sitting room was still going on, but the strident wail had been replaced by something more tired and resentful. I paced the hallway, still trying to wrap my head around how my life was threatening to dissolve about me.

Keep it together, Edward. Panicking wont help anything.

Tanya would be back soon. She'd take the baby and head north and no one would ever know either of them had ever been here. No one would be any the wiser. I could get on with my life and she could get on with hers.

Somewhere around fiftieth circuit of the hall my mobile buzzed in my pocket. The caller was unknown. "Hello?"

"Edward, its me, Tanya."

"Where the hell are you? You said fifteen minutes. That was well over an hour ago."

Silence.

Calm down Edward. I forced myself to take a deep breath. "Tanya, where are you?"

"Im really sorry." and she really did sound genuinely upset.

"Well, as long as you re on your way back now."

"Im not."

What the... "Pardon?"

"Im not on my way back."

"Well, how much longer are you going to be then."

"Edward, im not coming back."

"Huh?"

"I cant cope, Edward. Ive tried and Ive tried but I cant. I need some time to get my head together. So I reckon Mallie will be better off with you, as you're her dad."

Falling from a plane without a parachute. Tumbling over and over, the ground rushing upwards to meet me. I cant think of any other way to describe that moment. Falling hard and fast and knowing there was no escape...

"Tanya, you cant do this. You cant just dump it on me because your having a bad day."

"A bad day? You think thats all this is?"

"Look, just come back and we can talk about," I said still trying desperately to keep calm.

"Do you think I want to do this?" the constant sniffing over Tanya's words told me that if she wasn't already crying, she was very close to it. "I hate leaving Mallie, but I don't have a choice."

"What are you talking about? You do have a choice. Its your daughter."

"She is your daughter too, Edward."

"But you-re its mum"

"And you are her dad,"Tanya shot back. "What do I know about bringing up a kid? It is not like my dad cared enough about me or my sister to stick around and my mum had to work at two jobs just to put food on the table. I brought myself up Edward. I don't how to bring up anyone else and I ... I love Mallie to much to ruin her life."

"Tanya, you cant leave it here."

"Edward, I have to. If she stays with me, I'm afraid..."

"Afraid of what?" Tanya didnt reply. "Answer me. Afraid of what?" I shouted.

"Of what might happen... of what I might do.." Tanyas voice was barely above a whisper now.

"I dont understand..."

"Edward, I love our daughter. I do. Id die for her but I have no life. Mallie and I live in one bedroom in my aunts cupboard-under-the-stairs-sized flat with no chance of getting anything better. I gave up my life, my friends, my dreams for Mallie, and sometimes when it is just me and her and she wont stop crying... Sometimes the thoughts in my head scare me. The things I do... the things i want to do scare me. Mallie deserves to with someone who can look after her better and bring her up properly."

Oh my God... "That's not me," I protested, barely taking in what Tanya was saying. " I don't know the first thing about babies."

"Maybe not, but you will learn. You always had more patience that me and you have go your dad and Jasper and a big house and your friends."

She had to be joking. "Tanya, do not do this.."

"I am sorry, Edward. Tell Mallie... tell Mallie that I love her."

"Tanya..." but she hung up. I immediately tried to recall her but her number was blocker. I stared down at my phone, unable and unwilling to believe what had just happened. It took a few moments to realize that I was shaking, actually shaking.

Was this some kind of sick..very sick joke? The painful, constant twisting of my stomach told me otherwise.

Dumped. Tanya had dumped her baby on me and was now god only knew where. She was free and clear and me? I had been lumbered with a kid that was seemingly mine. Well, hell no. I was off to some university in less than a month and there was no way I was going to let Tanya and some baby ruin my plans, not to mention my life. No way.

The baby was getting louder and louder. My world was spiralling round and out of control like water down a plughole. I had to do something about that damned noise. Going over to the buggy, I looked down at that thing that was supposed to be my child...my daughter. The word set of an earthquake inside of me which would measure 10 on the Ritcher scale. How could I have a child? Ten minutes of not much with Tanya and now I had this thing screaming up at me? It was so loud I couldn't even hear myself think.

"Could you please stop crying-just for 5 minutes" The words were out of my mouth before I realized how ridiculous they were. Like the thing in the buggy could be reasoned with.

Oh God, the noise. DO something- fast.

I pushed the buggy so it was in front of the window. Maybe if the thing looked outside, it would find something to distract it and would stop crying. I broke out my phone and headed for the kitchen where the baby's wailing could not be overheard.

"Bella, do you remember Tanya? Tanya Denny," I launched in before she had barely said hello.

"The girl who disappeared after Christmas a while ago?"

"Yeah, that is her."

"Course I remember her. What about her?"

"You two girls were friends right?"

"Well, were not enemies but we didn't swap diaries either if that is what you mean."

"I... don't suppose you have got her current mobile number or her aunts phone number or address do you?"

"No and why on earth would I have Tanya's aunts contact details?" I could imagine Bella's frown.

"well, Tanya went to live with her aunt so I thought you might..."

"How do you know that Edward?"

"Tanya told me."

"When did she tell you that?"

Dammit. "Er... a while ago."

"Hang on, she was your girlfriend back in the day, wasn't she? Why are you suddenly so keen to get in touch with her?"

"No particular reason," I replied feebly. "I was just wondering about her, that is all."

"Funny time to wonder about her," Bella commented.

"So would you know how I can get in touch with her?" I asked trying to rein in my impatience.

"Nope. Sorry, Edward. Have not got a clue."

"Oh, ok. Do you know anyone who might know then?"

"No. As far as I know, Tanya did not keep in touch with anyone."

Damn it. What was I going to do now? "Got your exam results?" asked Bella.

"Yeah. four a-stars." I dismissed.

"That is fantastic. 'grats. I knew you would walk through the exams though, Mr Boffin of Egghead Lane!"

"Thanks- I think." What was I going to do?

"Well?" Bella prompted

"What?"

"Are you not going to ask me about my exam results then?" she asked, sounding a little peeved.

"Yeah, of course. I was just about to. Did you get the grades you wanted?"

"Yeah. Three A stars and one A." The warmth in Bella's voice left me cold. "So we will be going to the same uni. Different faculties but the same university. I cant wait."

"Neither can I." I replied faintly. Bella and I had applied to the same uni more by luck than design. She wanted to study Computer Science with a view to becoming a games designer. Bella was deterring to have a career that would make her name and her a fortune. Her older sister Leah was a social worker who, according to Bella, got paid a whole heap of nothing for doing a really thankless job. It sounded really unappealing.

"I am going to learn from my sister's career mistakes," Bella had told me, more than once.

Me? Id wanted to be a journalist ever since my mum had died. Our first choice of university was over two hundred and forty kilometres away. which suited me fine. I longed to leave home and be independent and more than that, if I am honest. I longed to only have to worry about Jasper long-distance. He was my brother and I cared for him - but god knows he was hard work.

"It is going to be so great," Bella enthused. "You still ready to celebrate tomorrow night? It will be fun to see everyone again before we all scatter to the four corners of England."

"Doorbell," I lied. "Got to go. Talk late." I hung up before Bella could get another word in.

What was I going to do?

I had to do something... I glanced down at my watch. Dad and Jasper would be back soon. I had an hour or less to try and sort out this mess. Maybe.. maybe I could hide it until I managed to track down Tanya? What a stupid idea. How on earth was I going to hide a baby? I couldn't arrange my thoughts in any sort of sensible order. I never realized it before but panic was a living, breathing thing and it had taken root inside me and was ruthlessly and relentlessly eating away at my entire body. I opened the kitchen door.

At least the baby had stopped crying now.

Dammit. My mistake. It was obviously just taking a breather to get back its energy and to refill its lungs, because it was now bawling even louder than before. I shut the kitchen door again.

I spent the next ten minutes phoning around friends and friends of friends, trying to find someone, anyone who could give me more information about where Tanya might be. I was out of luck. When shed left school, she had cut all contact with not just me, but everyone we both knew. After twenty minutes, I had to admit defeat. Those who remember her didn't have a clue as to her current whereabouts. Then I had another idea. I used my phone to check out Facebook. If Tanya was on Facebook, maybe I could send her a message or find out if we had any mutual friends who might know her location but she was not on Facebook either. I tried every variation of her name I could think of but still I had no luck.

I was well and truly stuffed.  
I had to get away.

I headed for the front door, the sound of the carrying baby wrapping itself all around me. Gripping me. Smothering me. I opened the door, every instinct telling me to run. Get out of there. Escape.

The baby was still sobbing in the sitting room...

Slamming the front door, I turned around and took the stairs three at a time until I reached my bedroom. I flung myself down on my bed, staring up at the half naked Beyonce poster that I had on my ceiling.

What was I going to do?

I couldn't just lie there, doing nothing.

I needed ti get Tanya to come back and take her child away but how, when I did not have her current mobile number or the address where she was going? I didn't even have her aunts name, never mind any-other contact details. The walls were closing in on me and there was nothing I could do about it.

I stared past the ceiling into nothing - and waited.  
For an idea  
For inspiration  
For Tanya's return  
For this nightmare to end  
For my alarm clock to ring and wake me up  
For a way out.  
And I waited.

After about ten minutes, the noise downstairs finally faded away before ceasing altogether. I didn't move. I counted every fraction of a second after that, waiting for the clink of metal against metal, for the sound of a key turning in the front door.

**how was it? **

**Sorry if it wasnt what you wanted but I can easily change bella if you wish?**

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**Ok, so my next update WILL NOT be before Friday next week, as I said I have 3 nabs to revise for next week and will be busy with it coming up to christmas and all. So friday could be the next update.. if not Saturday :) sometime at night time (UK) as i will be babysitting my nephew as my brother and his gf have there school dance then.. :) **


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